


Peaceful Retreat

by Marf_Redux



Series: Shattered Verse [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Friends With Benefits, Kuron is Ryou, medical complication, one sided Kuron/Keith, one sided Tavo/Romelle, side effects of turning into a different species
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-12 04:34:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20160583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marf_Redux/pseuds/Marf_Redux
Summary: Kuron now known as Ryou is on Altea attempting to learn what it means to now be a Sacred Altean.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First comments are screened and will never be read so please don't leave any. I have my reasons for this and they are in my profile if you simply must know why. I tell you this so you will be forewarned that if you leave a comment it will never be read or replied to.

Peaceful Retreat   
Part One of Two

He did his best to push things out of his mind as the Altean man guided the group of children through the traditional motions. It was very much like Tai chi exercises back on Earth which gave him a good starting point allowing him to easily mimic the movements. His control over the energies inside of him however were only at a child’s level hence being in the class with children. It wasn’t that bad in many ways they were far more accepting of him than the adults who knew his history and how he wasn’t born one of them.

The class ended and he ignored the throb of pain in his back it was a lot less intense then it had been the first few days. He knew he was making progress slowly and these aches were from his inability to regulate the energy inside himself. He headed back toward where he was staying when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He turned to see Tavo standing there. The dark skinned Altean was one of the friendlier people he’d met. “Ryou, would you walk with me for a moment?”

“Of course,” he said and followed after the other man. He found them heading into the more isolated lands around the cultural center. He knew the center was new and meant to be attempt to reestablish lost techniques and secrets to the Alteans. The ones that Coran had data on from the original castle of lions. He began to feel a bit nervous as the area they were heading into was very isolated. He had no reason not to trust Taavo but he knew he’d been one of the Komar mech pilots so there was a great deal of blood on his hands. “Is there something specific you wish to talk to me about?”

“Yes, I have been informed by your instructor that something is still blocking your progress,” he said tiredly. “He believes it is something I can assist you with and in part possibly remove my own block.” He said sounding tired. “I was very close to becoming a master according to our remaining knowledge of such techniques.” He sounded sad, “however, guilt and regret are holding me back and I believe you are experience something similar?”

He thought about how Haggar had used him to spy on his friends, to breach Oriande and then finally to attack the person he cared about the most. “Yes,” he said as simply as he could. As he said it the knot in his back flared into painful life and he nearly doubled over. Tavo caught him and placed his hand on his back. “I’m okay,” he said as he pulled away.

“You are not okay how long has your back had that twisting knot of energy?” He glanced at the other man to assure him it was fine but one look at his face told him it wasn’t. There was a very clear look of concern. “How long?”

“Ever since I started the classes, the teacher said aches and pains would be normal.” He hadn’t thought any thing of it. He saw Tavo look alarmed and then put his hand back on his back. “I take it this isn’t just a normal ache from the training?”

“This is a potentially fatal complication any Altean would know what these symptoms could mean but you were not born one of us,” Tavo said seeming to get it. “And no normal child not even a sacred Altean one would have the power to cause this in themselves so of course your teacher did not notice.” He looked grim, “I will have to cut the knot you will experience intense sensation and will be rendered insensate for several hours but I will need your permission to do so otherwise we will have to take you to the medical center and they will do it.”

“Just get it over with,” he said quickly. He hated medical centers ever since he’d come back. He’d been poked and prodded enough after his initial resurrection as an Altean. He saw Taavo staring at him, “just do it I give you permission.” Tavo nodded and put his palm against his back. The world went white not with pain but just an intense feeling and then he was hitting the ground.

He could tell once he woke up that several hours had passed because the light had changed a significant degree. “I’m glad your awake,” Taavo said with a strained voice. He sat up to look and see that he was back against a tree covered in mud. “I had no idea how powerful your release would be I should have taken you to the medical center.” He noticed then that he could move so he set up. “Good you can move again I’m going to need you to carry me to the medical center.”

He struggled to his feet and made his way over to the other man. “I’m sorry,” he said as he helped him up. He thought Tavo said something about it not being his fault but it was hard to tell through the groans of pain.


	2. Chapter 2

Peaceful Retreat  
Part Two of Two

He finished the latest class with the teenagers easily, Taavo’s cutting the knot and pointing out what was holding him back seemed to have done the trick. He’d easily mastered the kid’s listens and was now in a class with surly teenagers who definitely didn’t like him. 

Of course he didn’t particularly care for them either, he had Shiro’s memories of really not liking teaching and it turns out being an adult in a class with teenagers was no better than teaching them. “Incredibly progress today Ryou,” the teacher an older Altean woman said approaching him. “Once you deal with the final thing holding you back I imagine you will quickly reach the level where you can study with the adults.” she seemed thoughtful, “After all it is not lack of knowledge or ability holding you back it is lack of experience being an Altean.”

“Thank you master Sirk,” he said with a bow and took his leave. “I will see you at the next lesson.” She nodded and let him go which he was grateful for. Taavo was getting out of the medical center today and he wanted to be there to help him back to his home to make up for putting him there in the first place.

He reflected on the fact that his body still didn’t feel completely his own as he made his way out of the cultural center and headed toward the medical center. His memories of having a human body meant that some of the quirks of his new Altean physiology made it difficult some times. A human was no where near as connected to their body as an altean. Every emotion caused the raw energy beneath his skin to react in different ways it explained a lot about Alteans. Coran who had almost no altean abilites was able to wear his heart on his sleeve being the energetic character they knew and loved. Allura on the other hand was incredibly gifted and that fact explained a great deal about how much she held in reserve. The power she had to control was frightening now that he could sense it and understand it. 

It was one reason he was so determined to get this power of his under control because while he wasn’t in Allura’s league he was currently running a close second as far as raw power went and it scared him. The weird thing was being scared of his own body was nothing new even though they weren’t really his memories. He still remembered how after is diagnoses every sore muscle was terrifying because he kept thinking was the loss of control and strength starting or not. 

Thinking about the past brougth up the shadow of the final thing he had to over come. His feelings for Keith. It was difficult because he knew intellectually that they weren’t his feelings they were something he inherited from the original Shiro but knowing that intellectually didn’t do a damn thing to make them go away. 

He knew that he had to let go of those feelings but a small part of him still hoped Keith would reciprocate some day. Though he knew that wasn’t likely and if it happened it would be Keith settling for him because he couldn’t have the original. It would be best for everyone if he found a way to move on but that was difficult.

He arrived at the hospital to find that Tavo out side walking away from it so he jogged to catch up. “Hey how are you feeling?” He asked once he was close enough. He could tell by the other man’s face that he was not in the best mood.

“Fine, just a bit disappointed that Romelle didn’t come to see me,” Tavo said after a moment. “We were very close before everything but after what I and our people did it isn’t that surprising she avoids me.” He was surprised by Tavo volunteering that information. “I don’t suppose you’ve spoken with her recently?”

“Not at all truthfully I don’t really know her that well,” he said honestly. “I think she still talks with Keith and his mother often but I’ve been keeping my distance from him.” Which was true since he needed to get over his crush.

“For the same reason I’m keeping my distance from Romelle I think,” Tavo said after a moment. “I suppose I should let you know that when I cut the knot inside you I saw glimpses of your thoughts and feelings.” The altean man gave him a weak smile, “I have been debating how to bring it up and discuss how you feel about me knowing certain things.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he said honestly. “You’re not the only one who knows thanks to various bits of weirdness.” He thought of Jiro and Kolivan who both knew how he felt about Keith and how he wanted to get over it even when it was hard. “You didn’t have to let me know how you felt about Romelle to make us even.”

“It wasn’t just to make us even it was to broach a difficult subject,” Tavo said after a moment. “I was wondering if you’d be interested in an arrangement that might help us both.” The altean man seemed to hesitate. “I believe on your world there is an arrangement called friends with benefits that most closely applies.”

“Your proposing we have sex to help us forget about who we actually want?’ He was a bit startled at the proposition. Tavo nodded but didn’t say anything and he found himself considering it. Tavo was an incredibly attractive man and it might help. “Why me, and I mean do Alteans even do casual relationships?”

“We do,” Tavo said after a moment. “And I am asking you because frankly I feel we are in a similar place and it may help us both plus you were not unattractive even before you became one of us.” The altean man smiled, “And because I know that it will never be more than just two people helping each other out.”

“I think I’d be okay with that,” he found himself saying and Tavo nodded in resposne. It wasn’t hardly romantic but it might be just what he needed to get his mind off Keith and to work some stuff out.

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading once again I do not read or reply to comments so please don't leave any. Kudos are appreciated and thank you in advance to anyone who leaves them.


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